ASTORIA BIKE NETWORK AND

PROTECTED BIKE LANES

Public Workshop
Presented to Queens Community Board 1 - February 11, 2020
Astoria Bike Network and Protected Lanes – Public Workshop

AGENDA
1. Presentation/Overview (15 min)
2. Facilitated discussion/feedback (45 min)
3. Group Share Back (15 min)

2 2
Hoyt Ave North, QN
Introduction

1
3
Project Proposal
Background

Overview
Shore Blvd, QN
Workshop Goals
• Gather feedback that will help us
develop a north-south protected
bicycle route as specified in the
Green Wave Plan

• Gather feedback that will help us

plan an expanded bicycle
network in Astoria

4
 Background

Interest in Improved Bike Access in Astoria

Citi Bike Expanded to Astoria
Fall 2017 – 2018

224,166 Citi Bike trip starts & ends

occurred in Community District 1
in its first summer
(July, Aug, Sept 2018)

NYCHA residents 16 and older qualify for a

discounted annual membership of $5/month
5
Background

Green Wave: A Plan for Cycling in New York City

Analysis of fatalities – key findings (2014 - 2019):
• Nearly 90% of fatalities happened on streets without bike lanes
• 60% of fatalities happened at intersections
• 23% involved a vehicle turn
• 16% involved a driver’s failure to yield the right of way

Green Wave Plan:

Citywide Protected Bike Lane Network:

• Build 30 miles of protected bicycle lane annually
• Build 75 miles of bicycle infrastructure in 10 Bicycle Priority
Districts (7 in Brooklyn, 3 in Queens) by 2022

Better Design:
• Implement new design standards based on national & international
best practice to enhance safety at intersections
• Continue piloting new designs with rigorous safety analysis

Education and Outreach:

• Launch next phase of Vision Zero public awareness campaign,
educating drivers with a focus on cyclist safety and expand the “Get
There” bicycle encouragement/rules of road campaign.
• Educate all street users about safe truck operation on city streets
• Increase helmet giveaways and helmet use encouragement

NYPD Enforcement
• Target enforcement on highest risk activities: speeding, failing to
yield, blocking bike lanes, oversized trucks/trucks off route

6
Background

Safety Benefits of Bicycle Infrastructure

Bike Lane Projects Increase Safety for All Road Users
• Markings organize the roadway
• Standard width lanes discourage speeding
• Bike lanes provide dedicated space for cyclists, increase predictability of cyclist location for drivers + pedestrians
• Upgraded crosswalks improve visibility and pedestrian safety

7
Parsons Blvd, QN
 Midtown Crosstown Routes
Background

Safety Benefits of Bicycle Infrastructure Grand St, Manhattan

Street designs that include protected

bike lanes increase safety for all users

-15% drop in all crashes with injuries

-21% drop in pedestrian injuries
on streets where protected bike lanes were installed 2007-2017

Injuries to cyclists increase only 3%,

despite a 61% bike volume increase
Protected Bike Lanes
Before and After Crash Data, 2007 - 2017
1,600
-15%
1,400 1,477
Total of 3-year Averages

1,200 1,263

1,000

800

-15% -21%
600
627 628
533 Kent Ave, BK
400 499
3% Data from 25 separate protected bicycle lane projects installed from 2007-2014 with 3
200 years of after data. Includes portions of 1 Ave, 2 Ave, 8 Ave, 9 Ave, Broadway, Columbus
224 231 Ave, Hudson St, Lafayette St / 4 Ave, Sands St, Allen/Pike St, Kent Ave, Prospect Park
West, Flushing Ave, Bruckner Blvd & Longfellow Ave, Imlay St / Conover St, Paerdegat
- Ave. Only sections of projects that included protected bike lanes were analyzed.
Total Injuries MV Occupant Injuries Pedestrian Injuries Cyclist Injuries Source: NYPD AIS/TAMS Crash Database
Before After 8
Background

Project Focus Area

Existing Bike Network

• New waterfront routes (protected lanes

on 20th Ave, Hoyt Ave N, Shore Blvd)
• Connections to parks
• Difficult to access some
destinations (Central Astoria, new
protected lanes, transit connections)
• Street network challenging to
navigate

Shore Blvd
9
Project Proposal
Background

Project Focus Area

Street Network Issues

• Discontinuous streets
• Irregular street grid
• Narrow street widths
• Difficult connection to bridges
• Boundaries - Northern Blvd,
Grand Central Pkwy

Project Goals

Close gaps in bicycle network

• Connections to ferry, subway
• Connections to bridges: RFK,
Roosevelt Island, Queensboro,
Honeywell St
• Connections to adjacent
neighborhoods

Improve safety for all road users

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Toolkit

2
11
NYC DOT Bicycle and Greenway Program
Toolkit

DOT Street Improvement Projects Toolkit

Markings – Organize the Roadway to Increase Safety

High Visibility Crosswalks Flush Medians, Turn Lanes Bike Lanes

Colored Paint – Designate Roadway Space for New Uses

Curb Extensions Bus Lanes Protected Bike Lanes

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Toolkit

Shared Bicycle Lanes Edgecombe Ave, MN

Benefits

Alert drivers and cyclists of shared space

Provide wayfinding for people on bikes

Guide cyclists away from open car doors

Considerations

Can be less comfortable for novice

cyclists, may have less traffic calming
benefits

No parking loss: typically fits in between

existing travel and parking lanes

Ft Hamilton Pkwy, BK

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Toolkit

Conventional Bicycle Lanes Coolidge Ave, QN

Benefits

Discourage speeding by visually

narrowing the road

Increase predictability by clearly

defining road space for each user

Considerations

No physical separation between

vehicles and cyclists

No parking loss - typically fits in

between existing travel and parking
lanes

150th St, QN

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 Toolkit

Protected Bicycle Lanes

111th St, QN
Benefits
Maximizes traffic calming by physically
narrowing roadways

Increases safety for all road users by

shortening crossing distances for
pedestrians, and separating people driving
and biking

Encourages wider range of people to try

riding a bike Prospect Park West, BK

Considerations

Typically removes parking spaces

May require removal of a travel lane

111th St, QN 15
Proposed Bicycle Routes

3
16
Summary
Proposed Bicycle Routes
Draft North-South Protected Bike Routes

•
1 Crescent St: two-way
protected path
2
• 31st St: pedestrian & transit
access improvements under
the elevated – with protected
bicycle lanes in each direction N W

N W

2
1 N W
Priorities

• Link to bridges: RFK, Queensboro,

Honeywell St N W

• Continuous uninterrupted routes

• Connect to Long Island City N W

• Opportunities to improve transit

N W
accessibility
N W

17
 Summary
Queens
Proposed
Queens Community
Bicycle
Community Board
Routes
Board 1 – Bicycle
8 Bike Network Network Expansion
Upgrades

Crescent St - Concept

Existing (Typical): Crescent St Potential Example: Kent Ave, BK

18
 Summary
Queens
Proposed
Queens Community
Bicycle
Community Board
Routes
Board 1 – Bicycle
8 Bike Network Network Expansion
Upgrades

31st St - Concept
Existing: 31st St at Ditmars Blvd Potential Example: Chicago Bike Lanes Under the El

Potential Example: Westchester Ave, BX

‘Bus Stops Under the Elevated’ Improvements

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Project
ProposedProposal
Bicycle Routes
Conventional & Shared Bike Lane Network Expansion
Priorities

• Close gaps in bicycle network

• Improve access to destinations
and transit
• Improve safety for all road 6
users
2

Proposed Routes

• 1 North-south: Ditmars to Astoria

• 2 East-west: to Astoria Park 1
• 3 East-west: Roosevelt Island Bridge 3
Connection
• 4 North-south: LIC to Astoria
4 5
• 5 Honeywell St Bridge Connections
• 6 RFK Bridge Connector

Minimal parking loss

No travel lane removal
 Summary
Queens
Proposed
Queens Community
Bicycle
Community Board
Routes
Board 1 – Bicycle
8 Bike Network Network Expansion
Upgrades

Standard & Shared Lanes Shared Lanes

Existing: 43rd St, facing south

Standard Bicycle Lanes

21
Summary

4
22
 Summary
Queens Community
Queens Community Board
Board 1 – Bicycle
8 Bike Network Network Expansion
Upgrades

Next Steps

Spring – Summer 2020

 Follow-up Community Engagement
 Share workshop feedback and
conventional & shared bicycle routes
network

 Present protected bicycle route design

Summer - Fall 2020

 Begin implementation of conventional
bicycle lanes
 Begin implementation of a protected
bicycle route

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Summary
Proposed
Summary Bicycle Routes

Potential Astoria Bike Network

Workshop Goals
• Gather feedback on
north-south protected
bicycle route as specified
in the Green Wave Plan
N W

• Gather feedback that will

help us expand the bike
N W
network in Astoria Combo map of
both networksB
A N W
Project Goals
• Close gaps in bicycle
N W
network
• Improve access to
destinations and transit
N W
• Improve safety for all
road users
N W

N W

24
 Summary
Queens
Queens Community
Community Board
Board 1 – Bicycle
8 Bike Network Network Expansion
Upgrades

Table Exercises
Facilitated discussion & feedback

Groups share back

25
Questions?
THANK YOU!

NYC DOT NYC DOT nyc_dot NYC DOT

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Appendix

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NYC
NYC DOT Bicycle
DOT Bicycle andProgram
Greenway Program APPENDIX
Bicycle Facility Types

Protected Bike Lanes

 Provide separation between cyclists and traffic
 Create shorter, safer pedestrian crossings
 May include floating parking, narrower roadway has traffic
calming effect

Conventional Bike Lanes

 Create dedicated space for people on bikes and in cars
 Increase predictability for all road users
 Visually narrow the roadway, reduces crashes with injuries

Shared Lanes
 Alert drivers and cyclists of shared space
 Provide wayfinding for people on bikes
 Guide bicycles away from open car doors

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Project
ProposedProposal
Bicycle Routes APPENDIX
Conventional & Shared Bike Lane Network Expansion
Priorities

• Close gaps in bicycle network

• Improve access to destinations
and transit
• Improve safety for all road 6
users
2

Proposed Routes

• 1 North-south: Ditmars to Astoria

• 2 East-west: to Astoria Park 1
• 3 East-west: Roosevelt Island Bridge 3
Connection
• 4 North-south: LIC to Astoria
4 5
• 5 Honeywell St Bridge Connections
• 6 RFK Bridge Connector

Minimal parking loss

No travel lane removal
42nd, 43rd, 44th Sts: 20th Ave to 34th Ave APPENDIX
Bike lanes create a new north-south connection
1 North-South Connection • Organize roadway, calm traffic
• Provide dedicated space for cyclists
• No parking loss or travel lane removal
No Parking Loss

42nd St, 43rd St 43rd St, 44th St

A (20th Ave to 23rd Ave) B (Astoria Blvd S to 34th Ave)

Existing Existing
A

Proposed Proposed B

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42nd, 43rd, 44th Sts: North-south Connection APPENDIX
Shared lanes connect north-south pair across Grand Central
1 North-south Connection
Across Grand Central Pkwy
• Provide wayfinding for cyclists
• Connect across Grand Central Pkwy, Astoria Blvd
• Curbside lane on Astoria Blvd S. removes 3 parking spaces

44 St
43 St

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23rd Ave: 19th St to 46th St
2 Astoria Park Connection
No Parking Loss
23rd Ave: 19th St to 43rd St
Existing
Proposed
APPENDIX
Shared lanes create an east-west connection
• Organize roadway, calm traffic
• Provide wayfinding for cyclists
• No parking loss or travel lane removal
• Connect between Astoria Park, Ditmars neighborhood
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36th Ave: Vernon Blvd to 29th St APPENDIX
Shared and standard lanes connect to Roosevelt Island
3 Roosevelt Island Bridge
Connection
• Organize roadway, calm traffic
• Provide dedicated space and wayfinding for cyclists
• No parking loss or travel lane removal
No Parking Loss

A 36th Ave (Vernon Blvd to 24th St) B 36th Ave (24th St to 29th St)

Existing Existing

B
Proposed Proposed

33
22nd St, 23rd St: Queens Plaza N to 36th Ave APPENDIX
Bike lanes create a connection to Long Island City
4 Long Island City to
Astoria Connection
• Organize roadway, calm traffic
• Provide dedicated space for cyclists
• No parking loss or travel lane removal
No Parking Loss • Connects cyclists to continue under bridge

22nd St 23rd St
A (Queens Plaza N to 36th Ave) B (Queens Plaza N to 36th Ave)

Existing Existing

Proposed Proposed

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38th Ave, 39th Ave, 32nd St
5 Honeywell St Bridge –
Sunnyside Connection
No Parking Loss
APPENDIX
Bike lanes create a connection to Honeywell St Bridge
• Organize roadway, calm traffic
• Provide dedicated space for cyclists
• No parking loss or travel lane removal
• Connect to existing lanes on 28 St, 29 St, Honeywell St

30 St
38 Ave
28 St

29 St

32 St
31 St
39 Ave N
W Bicycle
sidewalk
stamps

35
24th St, Crescent St
6 RFK Bridge Connector
No Parking Loss
APPENDIX
Bike lanes create a new north-south connection
• Organize roadway, calm traffic
• Provide dedicated space for cyclists
• No parking loss or travel lane removal

24th St, Crescent St

(20th Ave to Hoyt Ave N)

Existing

Proposed

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Project Proposal
Background APPENDIX
Existing Bicycle Lanes in Community District 1
Protected Bicycle Lanes
• 20th Ave – Traffic Calming and Park Access
• Hoyt Ave North – RFK Bridge Access
• Shore Blvd – Astoria Park Path
• Vernon Blvd – Queens Waterfront Greenway
• Waterfront path in Ralph DeMarco Park

Conventional & Shared Bicycle Lanes

• North-south route: 21st St
• North-south pairs: 35th/36th St, 28th/29th St
• East-west: 31st Ave, 34th Ave, 20th Ave

Shore Blvd
nyc.gov/visionzero Hoyt Ave N. 37
Background
Trends Over Time APPENDIX
Recent Queens DOT Bicycle Projects

New Bicycle Routes in Queens

2017-2019

Protected Bicycle Lanes

• Queens Blvd Phases 1, 2, 3
• 111th Street
• 43rd Ave, Skillman Ave
• Northern Blvd
• Shore Front Pkwy (Rockaway)
• Beach 94th St
• Cypress Hills St
• Alley Pond Park Connector – 223 St,
East Hampton Blvd
• Hoyt Ave North
• 210th St, Oceania Ave

Neighborhood Bicycle Networks

• Flushing
• CB 8 – Queens College, St. Johns Univ,
Cunningham Park connections
• CBs 2, 3, 4, 5

nyc.gov/visionzero 38